Natalie Gulbis’ pigtail gets in the way of her watching one of her tee shots during yesterday’s final round at RICC.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BARRINGTON — Juli Inkster and Natalie Gulbis this week became the first women to play in the CVS Caremark Charity Classic, but they will not be the last.

Tom Ryan, the chairman and CEO of CVS, vowed yesterday at the conclusion of the ninth annual event to have women back again.

“They were a big hit,” Ryan said of Gulbis and Inkster. “We’re obviously going to look at doing that again. I think we can say women are a staple of this tournament now.”

Inkster and Gulbis finished ninth in the 10-team field with a 9-under 133 total, 11 strokes behind champions Stewart Cink and J.J. Henry.

“We had a great time,” Inkster said. “We’d love to come back.”

Inkster, one of the consummate professionals on the women’s tour, a two-time U.S. Open champion and LPGA Hall of Famer, was the spark in getting women involved. She signed a contract earlier this year to represent CVS Caremark on tour. Like cohosts Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade, she competed wearing shirts with the CVS Caremark logo.

She handpicked Gulbis as her partner. Gulbis is one of a host of bright young stars on the LPGA Tour and the glamour girl on the tour with her own reality show and calendar.

Ryan did not say it would necessarily be the same two women who would be invited next year. It is possible the event could do with the women the same thing it does with the men. That is, invite different players each year. However, Ryan made it clear Gulbis and Inkster were a very welcome addition.

“You see young girls, young kids coming up to them and running after them,” Ryan said. “I saw two come up and they wanted to touch Natalie’s hair (which she wears in a long pigtail while competing). She let them. She brings them on the course while she’s walking down the fairway. She’s signing autographs. It was wonderful.”

Getting women to take part was just one aspect of one of the most successful years yet, Ryan feels.

“I think we had the best field we’ve ever had. It was the most diverse field, obviously,” he said. “It was a nice mix of foreign players, young players and veterans. Once again, all our sponsors stayed with us. This is the only event like this on tour.”

Andrade agreed.

“I think all you need to know is that our four presenting sponsors (Pepsi, Energizer, Johnson & Johnson and Bayer Healthcare) have stayed with us every year since we started,” he said. “That has to tell you we’re doing something right.”

“The fans come out and support us,” added Ryan. “Every player comes up to us and tells us this is the best two-day event they’ve ever played in, the best non-PGA Tour stop they play in. They love the people and the hospitality. Obviously, this year the weather and the course were super.”

Ryan confirmed that PGA Tour officials continue to inquire whether CVS would switch to a full-field, weeklong event. The company prefers to stay with what it has, Ryan said. Having a full-field tournament would mean moving out of Rhode Island, and the Woonsocket-based company prefers to stay here, according to the CEO. Besides, the area already has one full-field event, the Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC of Boston in Norton, Mass., on Labor Day weekend.

“They do a great job. It’s a different kind of tournament,” Ryan said. “We think what we have is perfect for our state.”

The event will continue to look for ways to improve.

“You have to keep trying to differentiate yourself, whatever product you sell. This is a product and we’re trying to do just that. You want to refresh it each year,” Ryan said.

The event moved to Newport for its housing and its gala, which was held at The Marble House this year. It has not been decided if it will stay in Newport or return to Providence. It added two parachuters, who dropped in during awards ceremonies.

“Last year we donated a record $1.6 million to charity,” Ryan said. “This year we’ll be either right at that or slightly under that record number. We’re comfortable with this.”

“I told Tom Ryan (Monday) night that this is one of the best two-day events I’ve ever played in,” said Hall of Famer Nick Price, last year’s champion with Tim Clark. “Long may it live.”

pkenyon@projo.com